Birding NSW Newsletter Page 1 birding NewsletterNewsletter NSWNSW FieldField OrnithologistsOrnithologists ClubClub IncInc nsw IssueIssue 281281 JuneJune -- JulyJuly 20172017 President’s Report At a Special General Meeting of the club on 2 May 2017, at the BIGnet Saturday seminar have agreed to talk at our the new club Constitution was adopted without dissent. club meetings early next year, and I am sure that you will This document will be submitted to the Office of Fair enjoy their presentations. The next BIGnet meeting will Trading for approval in the near future. be held at Urunga (Coffs Harbour area) in September. Members will recall that the club has supported Matt Our Activities Officer, Allan Richards has organised a Herring in his research project “Bitterns in Rice”, centred campout in the Tuncurry area for the June Long Weekend. in the Riverina. We were offered the privilege of naming This is modelled on the successful campout that Alan one of the radio-tracked bitterns this year, and we chose Morris has run in the past. It is based in a caravan park, the name Arnold in memory of our late patron, Arnold so if you wish to attend, book a cabin early! For further McGill. Matt has recently tagged a bittern who now bears details, look at this issue of the newsletter or the Birding the name “Arnold”. We look forward to hearing more Bulletin. about Arnold the bittern in coming months. Club members Camila de Gregorio and Chris Macaluso The South-West Slopes Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) were successful in a City of Sydney art competition survey in March at Grenfell went very well, with a to decorate the city. Their bird art can be seen at a record 36 surveyors and major interaction with the local construction site hoarding in Kent Street, Sydney. It should community. The club had almost a full page spread in be there for a while, since the site will host a 20-storey the local paper, and landowners in the Grenfell area were building. An example of their work is shown below. generous with their time in supporting the project. Thanks Tom Karplus to Elisabeth Karplus for organising the surveys, and to President, Birding NSW Michael Edwards for preparing the data. Elisabeth, who is the NSW KBA co-ordinator, will attend KBA events in Melbourne in May and in the Shoalhaven in August. Our speaker list for 2017 is now complete, with Tim Low talking about bird song in October and Professor Penny Olsen giving the Arnold McGill Memorial Address on her current project, the Night Parrot, at the December club meeting. The recent BIGnet meeting at Mt Keira was well attended, and BirdLife Australia Head of Conservation Sam Vine chaired a productive Conservation Forum. There was a change in the signatories of the BIGnet account at Street Art with a Difference! A hoarding decoration in Kent Street between Erskine and this meeting.PRINT POST Some APPROVED of the PP100001080 speakers King St. By Camila de Gregorio and Chris Macaluso. Page 2 Birding NSW Newsletter CLUB ACTIVITIES FIELD OUTINGS AND MEETINGS FIELD OUTINGS Bring a snack, lunch and a chair. Please check the websites on the evening proceeding the activity to ensure that there are not any changes. NATIONAL PARK USE FEES Club Outings are sometimes held in National Parks. A valid day pass or annual pass is necessary for 46 national parks in NSW and that includes most in the Sydney and Central Coast Regions. The pass must be displayed on your vehicle at all times while you are in the park. TOTAL FIRE BANS Members are reminded that no Central Coast outings are held on days when Total Fire Bans are in force. For Sydney outings in times of a Total Fire Ban, check with the outing leader. SECURITY Members are reminded not to leave anything of value visible in unattended vehicles while bird watching. CENTRAL COAST OUTINGS Sydney Members should advise the leader in advance if they are coming to an outing so that they don’t leave without you! FEES AT CAMPOUTS A camping fee may be applicable at some campsites. PETS Members are reminded that pets including dogs are not allowed on any Club activity including campouts. HEALTH AND SAFETY When attending field outings ensure you are wearing appropriate clothing, including wet weather gear in inclement weather, and suitable footwear. It is advisable to bring a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent and to carry water. Please sign the attendance register at field outings and also at the meetings. If you leave the outing early please let the leader know before you go. Participants attend at their own risk and should refrain from any behaviour that might put themselves or others at risk. That includes assessing whether they have a level of fitness required for the advertised outing. If in doubt contact the outing leader beforehand. 000 EMERGENCY NUMBER: HANDY APP FOR YOUR PHONE IF YOU ARE GOING BUSH The Emergency + App offers callers the ability to verbally provide emergency operators with their location. It is free. It works with only one phone tower available. For more information see the Home Page at www.birdingnsw.org.au or download free at the itunes App Store or at Google Play. JUNE 2017 Long Weekend Campout 10-12 June. Wallamba River Holiday Park, 99 Aquatic Road, North Tuncurry about 14 Tuesday 6 June Club Meeting: The Mitchell Theatre, km north of Tuncurry. Tel: 6554 3123 or 1800 268 176. Level 1, The Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Meet at 8:30 am at entrance to the caravan park. Lunch at Pitt Street, Sydney at 7.30 pm. “Yellow-tailed Black- cars. Birding in nearby areas including Cattai Wetlands. Cockatoos Research Project”. Speaker: Jessica Rooke Leader: Allan Richards 9660 8062; 0432 064 660 Wednesday 14 June Central Coast Half Day Outing: Saturday 10 June Club Outing: Wolli Creek and Saratoga and Davistown. Meet at 8:30 am at Saratoga Barton Park. Meet at the end of Finlays Avenue, Wetlands, Willaroo Street, Saratoga. Lunch at cars. Earlwood at 8.30 am. We will walk from Turrella Reserve Leader: Doug Hocking 0427 800 428 to Girrahween Park and back to cars for morning tea. If time permits, we will drive across to Barton Park Saturday 17 June Club Outing: Warriewood Wetlands wetlands. Finish about 12.00 pm. Leader: Ian Bailey 0412 and Irrawong Reserve. Meet at 8.30 am at Katoa Close, 251 337 or 9821 4284 prior Warriewood. Lunch at cars. Gradient: Easy with bush tracks. Leader: Russell Beardmore 9400 9782 mobile 0404 023 223 Birding NSW Newsletter Page 3 Tuesday 27 June Central Coast Meeting: Meet at the AUGUST 2017 Progress Hall in Anzac Street Tuggerah opposite McDonalds Tuesday 1 August Club Meeting: The Mitchell Theatre, at 7.30 pm. “Birding in Norway”. Speaker: Greg Miles Level 1, The Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Wednesday 28 June Midweek Outing: Chiltern Track, Pitt Street, Sydney at 7.30 pm. “The Plains-wanderer”. Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Ingleside. Meet at 8.30 Speaker: David Parker am at the end of Chiltern Road, off Mona Vale Road, Saturday 5 August Club Outing: Chiltern Track, Ku- Ingleside. Lunch at cars. Gradient: Easy with bush tracks. ring-gai Chase National Park, Ingleside. Meet at 8.30 Leader: Elisabeth Karplus 0421 665 553 am at the end of Chiltern Road, off Mona Vale Road, Ingleside. Lunch at cars. Gradient: Easy with bush tracks. JULY 2017 Leader: Coleen Southall 9982 5453; 0410 549 321 Saturday 1 July Central Coast Outing: Dubbo Gully, Wednesday 9 August Central Coast Half-day Outing: Mangrove Mountain. Meet at 8.30 am at the corner of Meet at 8.30 am at Central Coast Wetlands Carpark, Wisemans Ferry and Waratah Roads, Mangrove Mountain. access off South Tacoma Road Tuggerah. Lunch at cars. Lunch at cars. Leader: Margaret Pointer 4374 1163 Leader: Alan Morris 0418 269 482. A joint outing with Tuesday 4 July Club Meeting: The Mitchell Theatre, Cumberland BOC Level 1, The Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney at 7.30 pm. “Water Management in Saturday 12 August Club Outing: Scheyville National the Murray-Darling Basin”. Speaker: Terry Korodaj to Park and Hawkesbury area. Meet at 8.30 am at the car explain water management and a colleague to talk birds park for Scheyville National Park Headquarters off Scheyville Road. Lunch at cars. Leader: Trevor Waller Saturday 8 July Club Outing: Royal National Park. 0467 977 508 Meet 8.30 am at Wattle Forest Picnic Area near Audley. Turn into Lady Carrington Drive at Audley, then right Tuesday 22 August Central Coast Meeting: Meet at over the timber bridge to the western side of the river. the Progress Hall in Anzac Street Tuggerah opposite Turn left and meet at the last car park. Lunch at cars. McDonalds at 7.30 pm.” Birding in South Africa”. Leader: Allan Richards 0432 064 660 Speaker: Mike Kuhl Wednesday 12 July Central Coast Half Day Outing: Saturday 26 August Central Coast Outing: Nords 8.30 am Munmorah State Conservation Area. Meet at at Wharf and Galgabba Point, Swansea. Meet at 8.30 am at Elizabeth Bay boat ramp carpark. Lunch at cars. Leader: Cams Wharf Car Park, at the end of Cams Wharf Road. Andrew Melville 0416 162 297 Lunch at cars. Leader: Andrew Melville 0416 162 297 Saturday 15 July Club Outing: Mistral Point, Maroubra. Meet at 9:00 am in the furthest car park at the northern end of Marine Parade, Maroubra. We will take a short, but rocky walk out to a headland for a sea watch looking for whales as well as seabirds.